Welders such as, for example, gas shielded metal arc welders often include fume extraction equipment that develops an air flow near the welding arc to remove welding fumes. Welders also typically have a shield gas envelope for protecting the weld.
One attempt at providing fume extraction for robotic welders is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,329 (the '329 patent) issued to Moerke. The '329 patent discloses a rotatable mount for a robot machine that includes a welding unit having a welding tip. The '329 patent discloses that the welding tip is housed within a gas nozzle for releasing shield gas. The '329 patent also discloses an external assembly for welding fume extraction that is connected to the welding unit. The extraction assembly draws in welding fumes via an inlet disposed on the welding unit adjacent to the welding tip.
Although the welding system of the '329 patent may provide a method for fume extraction for a robotic welder, it may fail to appropriately vary the rate of suction flow as a function of a welding procedure. Because the rate of flow may not be appropriately adjustable, the welding system may have too low of a fume extraction flow rate during certain stages of the welding procedure and thus may not extract enough welding fumes. Also, the welding system may have too high of a fume extraction flow rate during certain stages of the welding procedure and may extract the beneficial shield gases.
The present disclosure is directed to overcoming one or more of the shortcomings set forth above and/or other deficiencies in the art.